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94 RGS-IBG Polar Expeditions Manual If your meter or camera has an LCD (liquid crystal display), low temperatures will make the LCD pulsate and decrease the angle of view. You will have to look directly down at the LCD to see the display. As temperatures near 14°F (–10°C), the display will stop operating. Since the display will freeze very quickly, expose the meter to cold for only a very short time, and keep it under your parka when not using it. You may also want to carry a selenium-cell meter (which does not use batteries) to make comparison readings or provide a backup. 10.3.3 Batteries Batteries need to be kept warm to function properly. The three most popular types of batteries used in cameras are lithium, alkaline, and silver-oxide or button batteries. Battery manufacturers test their batteries to determine their operating temperature ranges. Batteries will not give full power at the low end of the range. Lithium batteries have a range of 70° to –40°C and may be the best performers in the cold. Alkaline batteries have an operating range of 54° to –20°C and are good under heavy use. The range for silver-oxide batteries is 54° to –12°C. They are used in many older cameras with metal bodies; cold transmitted through the camera body can cause the batteries to freeze rather quickly. All batteries contain electrolytes to carry the electrical current. At temperatures below –40°C, the electrolytes will freeze, rendering the battery useless. Cold temperatures combined with camera power requirements drain battery power very quickly; carry extra batteries and keep them warm or use an external battery pack that connects to your cameras battery housing via a long cable, allowing you to keep the pack warm next to your body. You could also attach a small chemical hand warmer to the outside of the battery housing to keep the battery temperature within the operating range. 10.3.4 Flash units Extremely low temperatures also have a detrimental effect on electronic flash units. You can’t predict the exact effect of cold weather on the output of a flash unit accurately. Efficiency will vary from one unit to another because of the differences in capacitors and batteries. Nickel-cadmium batteries operate at approximately 60% capacity and yield fewer flashes per charge at –4°F (–20°C). Don’t recharge these batteries at temperatures below 50°F (10°C) because this causes venting and permanent damage. Flashbulbs may not be a good alternative to electronic flash because they are bulky and take up valuable storage space. A battery power supply may not be a good choice either, because it may lose efficiency in extreme cold. 10.3.5 Films After you load film into a camera and subject it to extreme cold, the film will lose some of its moisture and may become brittle and break as you advance it. Advance the film slowly from one frame to the next with a steady movement of the transport lever or crank. By carefully advancing the film, you lessen the strain on it and reduce the likelihood of breakage or static discharge. Rewind 35mm film magazines slowly to help minimise static discharges that can show on the film after it is processed. Don’t use a motor drive, because
Photography under Polar Conditions 95 rapid winding contributes to static markings on the film. If your camera has a built-in drive, set it so that it advances only one frame at a time. With motion-picture films, a rapid loss of moisture at low temperatures may cause curling and brittleness. You can minimise these problems by using films coated on an ESTAR Base. These films maintain their flexibility and strength better than films coated on an acetate base. Cold temperatures may reduce the effective film speed and alter the colour balance of colour films. Exposure meters may not give accurate readings. You can minimise these problems by keeping your film and camera warm under your parka. If you can’t keep them warm, we recommend bracketing exposures by several stops from the meter reading, since you can’t accurately predict the extent of these changes. 10.3.6 Film type Most Arctic photographs are taken on colour reversal films. Kodachrome, Kodak Ektachrome, and Fuji Velvia are excellent choices for colour transparencies. Whatever you choose, try to stick to the same type so you get consistency across all your pictures. You may like to discuss this with the rest of the team as if you mix and match slides for a show, they will be more consistent. You may also want to use colour negative or black and white negative films as well for documentary or snapshots. 10.4 Procedures and precautions You should be able to alleviate the problem of polar photography caused by extreme cold by keeping materials and equipment as warm as conditions permit. Whenever possible, carry film, cameras, lenses, and other accessories under your clothing, where they will be kept warm by body heat and be protected from the wind. Don’t leave equipment out in the cold any longer than necessary; condensation will occur when you put the equipment back under your clothing. Be careful not to breathe on your equipment, because your breath will form a layer of frost. But make it accessible also to ensure you take enough pictures. Protect against blowing snow when you reload roll and 35mm cameras. With a little practice, you'll find you can load film under a parka. You can also use a towel or a blanket to protect the open camera from flying snow. You should keep the ever-present danger of frostbite in mind, particularly when your hands and face come into direct contact with a metal camera body. Cover the exposed metal areas on cameras that you use at eye level and must hold close to your face. You can use heavy electrical tape, plastic foam, or some other insulating material to do this. Under no circumstances should you touch a camera with wet hands; your skin will freeze fast to the cold metal almost instantly. Avoid taking a cold camera unprotected into a warm room/tent. Condensation will form on both the outside and the inside of the camera and possibly inside the lens. With electronic cameras, the condensation could very well cause malfunctions. Before entering a warm room/tent with a cold camera and lenses, place the camera and lenses in a plastic bag, squeeze out the air and tightly secure the bag. Allow the equipment to warm up to room temperature (an hour or two) before removing it from the bag. If your camera is in a
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Edited by Rachel Duncan 4th Edition
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6. NAVIGATION......................
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INTRODUCTION TO THIS EDITION This m
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The Polar Environment 7 except for
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1.3.4 Precipitation Figure 1: Wind
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The Polar Environment 11 UK MET OFF
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Planning 13 you will probably enjoy
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Planning 15 up and identifying any
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• Litter search completed before
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Campcraft, Equipment and Clothing 1
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3.5.5 Head and face Campcraft, Equi
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**Misc distress beacon altimeter wa
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Sportsnett Norge AS PO box 5914 Maj
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4.2 Nutrition Food and Cooking 33 T
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Food and Cooking 35 proposed, then
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Food and Cooking 37 When melting sn
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Polar Food Suppliers: Food and Cook
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Transport and Travel 41 and from Ne
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Page 45 and 46: Transport and Travel 45 If it is no
Page 47 and 48: Transport and Travel 47 are a relat
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Page 53 and 54: Morale Manoeuvrability Transport an
Page 55 and 56: Transport and Travel 55 • Packing
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Page 59 and 60: 6.2 Compasses Navigation 59 There a
Page 61 and 62: Navigation 61 Along with your sexta
Page 63 and 64: 6.10 Marking of routes Navigation 6
Page 65 and 66: Websites: o Zeiss Yachtmaster Navig
Page 67 and 68: Communications 67 sizes that are hi
Page 69 and 70: 7.4.2 Distress systems i) Emergency
Page 71 and 72: Communications 71 The selection of
Page 73 and 74: Communications 73 Avoid getting fue
Page 75 and 76: Chapter 8: SAFETY Safety 75 This ch
Page 77 and 78: Safety 77 For further information s
Page 79 and 80: Safety 79 There are a number of ani
Page 81 and 82: Safety 81 8.7.7 Midges and mosquito
Page 83 and 84: Chapter 9: POLAR MEDICINE Polar Med
Page 85 and 86: Polar Medicine 85 9.2.2 Food Food i
Page 87 and 88: Polar Medicine 87 Rescuers must be
Page 89 and 90: Polar Medicine 89 to undertake a sm
Page 91 and 92: Photography under Polar Conditions
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Page 97 and 98: 10.6.2 Film instructions Photograph
Page 99 and 100: Appendices 99 (0)1539 737757; fax:
Page 101 and 102: Appendices 101 HERBERT, W. (1969) A
Page 103 and 104: Appendices 103 BELETSKY, L & PAULSO
Page 105 and 106: Contacts Canada Appendices 105 Cana
Page 107 and 108: IV. Greenland (and Iceland) Appendi
Page 109 and 110: Appendices 109 Flugfelag Islands/Ai
Page 111 and 112: V. Svalbard (Norway) Appendices 111
Page 113 and 114: Appendices 113 TILMAN, W. H. (1987)
Page 115 and 116: Appendices 115 OUSLAND, B. (1994) A
Page 117 and 118: Permissions Appendices 117 Under th
Page 119 and 120: Appendices 119 SALE, Richard (2002)
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Edited by Rachel Duncan 4th Edition ISBN 0-907649-91-2 London ...

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